Divine  Sony's. 


THE  HARP  OF  DAVID. 


DIVINE 

AND 

MORAL  SONGS 


CHILDREN. 


BY  REV.  ISAAC  WATTS,  D.  D. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE 

AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY 

150  NASSAU-STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/divinemoralsongsOOwatt_0 

r 


DIVINE  SONGS. 


A  SONG  OF  PRAISE  TO  GOD.  (^w?^^ 
How  glorious  is  our  heavenly  King'^i^^ 
Who  reigns  above  the  sky  !  " 
How  shall  a  child  presume  to  smgQj.Sr^; 
His  dreadful  majesty  !  ^^^g^,^ 

How  great  his  power  is,  none  can  tell,€/ 
Nor  think  how  large  his  grace ;  ( 

Nor  men  below,  nor  saints  that  dwell 
On  high  before  his  face. 


6 


DIVINE  SONGS. 


Not  angels  that  stand  round  the  Lord 
Can  search  his  secret  will ; 

But  they  perform  his  heavenly  word, 
And  sing  his  praises  still. 

Then  let  me  join  this  holy  train, 
And  my  first  offerings  bring ; 

The  eternal  God  will  not  disdain 
To  hear  an  infant  sing. 

My  heart  resolves,  my  tongue  obeys, 

And  angels  shall  rejoice. 
To  hear  their  mighty  Maker's  praise 

Sound  from  a  feeble  voice. 


SONG  II. 

PRAISE  FOR  CREATION  AND  PROVI- 
DENCE. 

I  SING  the  almighty  power  of  God, 
That  made  the  mountains  rise ; 

That  spread  the  flowing  seas  abroad, 
And  built  the  lofty  skies. 


DIVINE  SONGS. 


7 


I  sing  the  wisdom,  that  ordain'd 

The  sun  to  rule  the  day : 
The  moon  shines  full  at  his  command, 

And  all  the  stars  obey. 

I  sing  the  goodness  of  the  Lord, 
That  fiird  the  earth  with  food  ; 

He  form'd  the  creatures  with  his  word, 
And  then  pronounc'd  them  good. 

Lord,  how  thy  wonders  are  displayed, 
Where'er  I  turn  mine  eye ; 

If  I  survey  the  ground  I  tread, 
Or  gaze  upon  the  sky  ! 

There's  not  a  plant  or  flower  below, 

But  makes  thy  glories  known ; 
And  clouds  arise  and  tempests  blow, 
.  By  order  from  tliy  throne. 

Creatures  (as  numerous  as  they  be) 

Are  subject  to  thy  care ; 
There's  not  a  place  where  we  can  flee. 

But  God  is  present  there. 


8 


DIVINE  SONGS. 


In  heaven  he  shines  with  beams  of  love. 
With  wrath  in  hell  beneath: 

'Tis  on  his  earth  I  stand  or  move, 
And  'tis  his  air  I  breathe. 

His  hand  is  my  perpetual  guard, 

He  keeps  me  with  his  eye : 
Why  should  I  then  forget  the  Lord, 

Who  is  forever  nigh  ? 


SONG  III. 

PRAISE  TO  GOD  FOR  OUR  REDEMP- 
TION. 

Blest  be  the  wisdom  and  the  power. 

The  justice  and  the  grace. 
That  join'd  in  council  to  restore 

And  save  our  ruin'd  race. 

Our  father  ate  forbidden  fruit, 

And  from  his  glory  fell ; 
And  we,  his  children,  thus  were  brought 

To  death,  and  near  to  helL 


DIVINE  SONGS. 


9 


Blest  be  the  Lord,  that  sent  his  Son 
To  take  our  flesh  and  blood ; 

He  for  our  lives  gave  up  his  own 
To  make  our  peace  with  God. 

He  honor'd  all  his  Father's  laws,  . 

Which  we  have  disobey'd ; 
..He  bore  our  sins  upon  the  cross, 

And  our  full  ransom  paid. 

Behold  him  rising  from  the  grave. 

Behold  him  rais'd  on  high : 
He  pleads  his  merits  there  to  save 

Transgressors  doom'd  to  die. 

Tliere  on  a  glorious  throne  he  reigns, 

And,  by  his  power  divine, 
Redeems  us  from  the  slavish  chains 

Of  Satan  and  of  sin. 

Thence  shall  the  Lord  to  judgment  come, 

And,  with  a  sovereign  voice, 

Shall  call,  and  break  up  every  tomb, 

While  waking  saints  rejoice. 
2* 


10 


DIVINE  SOISGS. 


O  may  1  then  with  joy  appear 

Before  the  Judge's  face  ; 
And,  with  the  bless'd  assembly  there, 

Sing  his  j-edeeming  grace ! 


SONG  IV. 

PRAISE  FOR  MERCIES  SPIRITUAL  ANE^ 
TEMPORAL. 

Whene'er  I  take  my  walks  abroad, 

How  many  poor  I  see  ! 
What  shall  I  render  to  my  God 

For  all  his  gifts  to  me  ? 

Not  more  than  others  I  deserve, 
Yet  God  hath  given  me  more : 

For  I  have  food  while  others  starve. 
Or  beg  from  door  to  door. 

How  many  children  in  the  street 

Half  naked  I  behold  ; 
While  I  am  cloth'd  from  head  to  feoi, 

And  cover'd  from  the  cold. 


DIVINE  SONGS. 


11 


While  some  poor  wretches  scarce  can  tell 
Where  they  may  lay  their  head, 

1  liave  a  home  wherein  to  dwell, 
And  rest  upon  my  bed. 

While  others  early  learn  to  swear. 
And  curse,  and  lie,  and  steal ; 

Lord,  I  am  taught  thy  name  to  fear, 
And  do  thy  holy  will. 

Are  these  thy  favors,  day  by  day. 

To  me  above  the  rest  ? 
Then  let  me  love  thee  more  than  tliey. 

And  try  to  serve  thee  best. 


SONG  V. 

PRAISE  FOR  BIRTH  AND  EDUCATION 
IN  A  CHRISTIAN  LAND. 

Great  God,  to  thee  my  voice  I  raise j 
To  thee  my  youngest  hours  belong ; 
1  would  begin  my  life  with  praise, 
Till  growing  years  improve  the  song. 


12 


DIVINE  SONGS. 


'Tis  to  thy  sovereign  grace  I  owe, 
That  I  v/as  born  on  Christian  ground, 
Where  streams  of  heavenly  mercy  flow, 
And  words  of  sweet  salvation  sound. 

I  v^^ould  not  change  my  native  land 
For  rich  Peru,  with  all  her  gold ; 
A  nobler  prize  lies  in  my  hand, 
Than  east  or  western  Indies  hold. 

flow  do  I  pity  those  that  dwell 
Where  ignorance  and  darkness  reigns ; 
They  know  no  heaven,  they  fear  no  hell. 
Those  endless  joys,  those  endless  pains. 

Thy  glorious  promises,  O  Lord, 
Kindle  my  hopes  and  my  desire ; 
While  all  the  preachers  of  thy  word 
Warn  me  to  escape  eternal  fire. 

Thy  praise  shall  still  employ  my  breath, 
Since  thou  hast  mark'd  my  way  to  heaven : 
Nor  will  I  run  the  road  to  death, 
Nor  waste  the  blessings  thou  hast  given. 


MORAL  SONGS.  53 
SONG  III. 
THE  ROSE. 

How  -fair  is  the  rose !  What  a  beautiful 
flower, 

The  glory  of  April  and  May ; 
But  the  leaves  are  beginning  to  fade  in  ais 
liour, 

And  they  wither  and  die  in  a  day. 

Yet  the  rose  has  one  powerful  virtue  to 
boast, 

Above  all  the  flowers  of  the  field : 
When  its  leaves  are  all  dead,  and  fine 
colors  are  lost, 
Still  how  sweet  a  perfume  it  will  yield ! 

So,  frail  is  the  youth,  and  the  beauty  of 
man, 

Tho'  they  bloom,  and  look  gay,  like  a 
rose ; 

But  all  our  fond  care  to  preserve  them  is 
vain, 

Time  kills  them  as  fast  as  he  goes. 


54 


MORAL  SONGS. 


Then  I'll  not  be  proud  of  my  youth  or  my 
beauty 

Since  both  of  them  wither  and  fade, 
But  gain  a  good  name  by  well  doing  my 
duty : 

This  will  scent  like  a  rose  Avhen  I'm  dead. 


SONG  IV. 
THE  THIEF. 

Why  should  I  deprive  my  neiglibor, 
Of  his  goods  against  his  will  ? 

Hands  were  made  for  honest  labor, 
Not  to  plunder,  or  to  steal. 

'Tis  a  foolish  self-deceiving, 
By  such  tricks  to  hope  for  gain : 

All  tliat's  ever  got  by  thieving, 
Turns  to  sorrow,  shame,  and  pain. 

Have  not  Eve  and  Adam  taught  us. 
Their  sad  profit  to  compute  ? 

To  what  dismal  state  they  brought  us. 
When  they  stole  forbidden  fruit ! 


MORAL  SO'GS.  55 

Oft  we  see  the  vounof  bei^rmner 
Practise  little  pilfering  ways, 

Till  grr  wn  up  a  hardeird  sinner, 
Then  the  o-allows  ends  his  davs. 

Theft  will  not  be  always  hidden, 
Tho'  we  fancy  none  can  spy : 

When  we  take  a  thing  forbidden, 
God  beholds  it  Avitli  his  eye. 

Guard  my  heart,  O  God  of  heaven. 
Lest  I  covet  what's  not  mine ; 

Lest  I  take  what  is  not  given, 

Guard  my  heart  and  hands  from  sm. 


SONG-  V. 
THE  ANT,  OR  E^DIET. 

These  emmets,  how  little  tliey  are  in  our 
eyes ; 

W e  tread  them  to  dust,  and  a  troop  of  them 
dies 

Without  our  regard  or  concern : 


56  MORAL  SONGS. 

I 

Yet  as  wise  as  we  are,  if  we  went  to  their* 
school, 

There's  many  a  sluggard,  and  many  a 
fool, 

Some  lessons  of  wisdom  might  learn. 

They  wear  not  tlieir  time  out  in  sleeping 
or  play, 

But  gather  up  corn  on  a  sun-shiny  day. 

And  for  winter  they  lay  up  their  stores : 
They  manage  their  work  in  such  regular 
forms, 

One  would  think  they  foresaw  all  the  frosts 
and  the  storms, 
And  so  brought  their  food  within  doors. ' 

But  I  have  less  sense  than  a  poor  creeping 

ant,  * 
If  I  take  not  due  care  for  the  things  I  shall 

want, 

Nor  provide  against  dangers  in  time ; 


MORAL  SONGS.  57 

When  death  or  old  age  shall  once  stare  in 
my  face, 

What  a  wretch  shall  I  be  in  the  end  of  my 
days, 

If  I  trifle  away  all  their  prime! 

Now,  now  while  my  strength  and  my  youtli 

are  in  bloom. 
Let  me  think  what  shall  serve  me  when 

sickness  shall  come. 
And  pray  that  my  sins  be  forgiven: 
Let  me  read  in  good  books,  and  believe, 

and  obey. 

That  when  death  turns  me  out  of  this  cot- 
tage of  clay, 
I  may  dwell  in  a  palace  in  heaven. 


SONG-  VI. 
GOOD  RESOLUTIONS. 
Though  Fm  now  in  younger  days, 

Nor  can  tell  what  shall  befall  me, 
I'll  prepare  for  every  place 
Where  my  growing  age  shall  call  me. 


58 


MORAL  SONGS. 


Should  I  e'er  be  rich  or  great, 

Others  shall  partake  my  goodness  : 
I'll  supply  the  poor  with  meat, 

Never  showing  scorn  nor  rudeness. 

Where  I  see  the  blind  or  lame, 
Deaf  or  dumb,  I'll  kindly  treat  them ; 

I  deserve  to  feel  the  same, 

If  I  mock,  or  hurt,  or  cheat  them. 

If  I  meet  with  railing  tongues. 
Why  should  I  return  them  railing  ? 

Since  I  best  revenge  my  \vrongs, 
By  my  patience  never  failing. 

When  I  hear  them  telling  lies, 
Talking  foolish,  cursing,  swearing, 

First  I'll  try  to  make  them  wise. 
Or  I'll  soon  go  out  of  hearing. 

What  thouofh  I  be  low  and  mean, 
I'll  engage  the  rich  to  love  me ; 

While  I'm  modest,  neat,  and  clean, 
And  submit  when  they  reprove  me. 


MORAL  SONGS. 


59 


If  I  should  be  poor  and  sick, 
I  shall  meet,  I  hope,  with  pity ; 

Since  I  love  to  help  the  weak, 
Tho'  they're  neither  fair  nor  witty. 

I'll  not  willingly  offend. 

Nor  be  easily  offended : 
What's  amiss  I'll  strive  to  mend. 

And  endm*e  what  can't  be  mended. 

May  I  be  so  watchful  still 

O'er  my  humors  and  my  passion. 

As  to  speak  and  do  no  ill. 
Though  it  should  be  all  the  fashion. 

r 

Wicked  fashions  lead  to  hell. 

Ne'er  may  I  be  found  complying  ; 

But  in  life  behave  so  well. 
Not  to  be  afraid  of  dying. 


60  MORAL  SO>'Gb. 

SONG-  VII. 
SUMMER  EVENING. 

How  fine  has  the  day  been!  How  bright 

was  tlie  sun, 
How  lovely  and  joyful  tlie  course  that  he 

run! 

Tho'  he  rose  in  a  mist,  when  his  race  he 
begun, 

And  there  followed  some  droppings  of 
rain; 

But  now  the  fair  traveller  comes  to  the 
west, 

His  rays  are  all  gold,  and  his  beauties  are 
best; 

He  paints  the  sky  gay  as  he  sinks  to  his 
rest, 

And  foretells  a  bright  rising  again. 

Just  such  is  the  Christian ;  his  course  he 
begins. 

Like  the  sun  in  a  mist,  while  he  mourns  foy 
his  sins, 


MORAL  SONGS. 


.61 


And  melts  into  tears  ;  then  he  breaks  out 

and  shines, 
And  travels  his  heavenly  way : 
But  when  he  comes  nearer  to  finish  his 

race, 

Like  a  fine  setting  sun,  he  looks  richer  in 
grace, 

And  gives  a  sure  hope,  at  the  end  of  his 
days, 

Of  rising  in  brighter  array. 

SONG  VIII. 
CRADLE  HYMN. 

flusH,  my  dear,  lie  still  and  slumber; 

Holy  angels  guard  thy  bed ; 
Heavenly  blessings  without  number, 

Gently  falling  on  thy  head. 

Sleep,  my  babe,  thy  food  and  raiment, 
House  and  home,  thy  friends  provide ; 

And  without  thy  care,  or  payment, 
All  thy  wants  are  well  supplied. 


62 


MORAL  SONGS. 


How  much  better  thou'rt  attended, 

Than  the  Son  of  God  could  be, 
When  from  heaven  he  descended, 

And  became  a  child  like  tliee. 
Soft  and  easy  is  thy  cradle ; 

Coarse  and  hard  thy  Saviour  lay, 
When  his  birthplace  was  a  stable. 

And  his  softest  bed  was  hay. 

Blessed  babe !  what  glorious  features, 

Spotless,  fair,  divinely  bright ! 
Must  he  dwell  with  brutal  creatures  ? 

How  could  angels  bear  the  sight  ? 
Was  there  nothing  but  a  manger. 

Cursed  sinners  could  afford. 
To  receive  the  heavenly  stranger  ? 

Did  they  thus  affront  the  Lord  ? 

Soft,  my  child,  I  did  not  chide  thee. 

Though  my  song  might  sound  too  hard ; 

'Tis  thy  mother*  sits  beside  thee. 
And  her  arms  shall  be  thy  guard. 

*  Here  you  may  use  the  word,  Brother,  Sister,  Neigh 
bor,  &c. 


MORAL  SONGS. 


63 


Vet  to  read  the  shameful  story, 
How  the  Jews  abus'd  their  King  ; 

How  they  serv'd  the  Lord  of  Glory ; 
Makes  me  angry  while  I  sing. 

See  the  kinder  shepherds  round  him, 
Telling  wonders  from  the  sky ; 

Where  they  sought  him,  there  they  found 
With  his  Virgin  Mother  by.  [him, 

See  the  lovely  babe  a-dressing. 

Lovely  infant,  how  he  smil'd. 
When  he  wept,  the  mother's  blessing 

Sooth'd  and  hush'd  the  holy  Child. 

Lo  !  he  slumbers  in  the  manger, 

Where  the  horned  oxen  fed ! 
Peace  my  darling,  here's  no  danger. 

There's  no  oxen  near  thy  bed. 

'Twas  to  save  thee,  child,  from  dying, 
Save  my  dear  from  burning  flame. 

Bitter  groans  and  endless  crying. 
That  thy  blest  Redeemer  came. 


64 


MORAL  SONGS. 


May'st  thou  live  to  know  and  fear  him. 
Trust  and  love  him  all  thy  days ; 

Then  go  dwell  for  ever  near  him, 
See  his  face  and  sing  his  praise. 

I  could  give  thee  thousand  kisses, 
Hoping  whut  I  most  desire ; 

Not  a  mother's  fondest  wishes 
Can  to  greater  joys  aspire.* 


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